May 9, 2021 Mark Bernardo BLOOMBERG – Over the past year, as many luxury sectors struggled under the weight of the pandemic, a few categories soared in interest and value, prominently including vintage watches. Sotheby’s, for example, reported in December 2020 that its global auction sales of timepieces had reached USD97.5 million last year, with more than 140 online sales totalling USD47.4 million-almost eight times the number of sales and five times the value achieved in 2019. Meanwhile, exports of new Swiss watches declined by 21.8 per cent in value, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, due in part to months-long factory closings. A recovery for watchmakers appears to be happening, and many showed new wares this month at the Watches and Wonders trade show. But there is no doubt that the vintage market is the strongest it’s ever been.